As the Gunners are not playing this weekend, I thought I would get us in the mood for Tuesday’s big semi-final.
Incredibly, PSG have already had five fixtures against English sides this season, and next week, they will visit the UK for the fourth time this campaign. Yet while the French champions beat Man City and then knocked out both Liverpool and Aston Villa, they have never, in their history, defeated Arsenal, as reported.
PSG 1-1 Arsenal 1993-94 (Cup Winners Cup Semi-Final First Leg)
So here is a potential omen. Arsenal’s greatest European success was lifting the Cup Winners Cup in 1994. Who did we have to beat over two legs to get to the final? PSG. Over three decades later, history has repeated itself. Ian Wright gave us the lead in Paris but unfortunately, he would enjoy the first leg more than the second.
Arsenal 1-0 PSG 1993-94 (Cup Winners Cup Semi-Final Second Leg)
A performance which summed up George Graham at his best. His famous back five had been doing this for years, getting their noses in front and then protecting a lead. At that point, 1-0 to the Arsenal had become famous. Ian Wright was in tears before half-time knowing a booking ruled him out of the final, and to be fair, his needless lunge would have been a red card in 2025. It is one of the most crucial goals Kevin Campbell would score as a Gunner, one of two Gunners from our Cup Winners Cup final squad no longer with us.
PSG 1-1 Arsenal 2016-2017 (Champions League Group Stage)
Despite scoring in the first few seconds, this game is remembered for the chances Cavani missed. I remember Mr Wenger punching the air when the full-time whistle was blown knowing his team had got out of jail with a draw. Sanchez’s equaliser was the definition of smash and grab.
Arsenal 2-2 PSG 2016-2017 (Champions League Group Stage)
Both teams had already qualified for the knockout stages by the time they faced each other in North London, but a victory for either would win the group. A 2-2 draw was better for the visitors because, based on the away goals rule, their scoring twice at the Emirates cancelled our goal in France, meaning they were now ahead of us. PSG then though were held by Ludogorets, meaning we won our group, not that we got an easier tie in the next round.
Arsenal 2-0 PSG 2024-2025 (Champions League Stage)
Based on this night back in October, few would have believed that this would end up being one of the semi-finals. PSG were so passive in the first half, only really showing ambition once they were 2-0 down. Mikel Arteta, though, deliberately chose to protect what we had, a sign of maturity the Gunners had not shown in Europe for years. A lot of our squad though who played this fixture, have stressed PSG have changed since.
Nice record, hopefully it gives us the psychological advantage over them and another plus is the Saliba and Kiwior partnership, I hear we haven’t lost when paired together. Hopefully the impact of missing Partey is not felt.
Arsenal have been free scoring of late, 4-1 to Arsenal
PSG had a shaky start after losing Mbappe but they improved leaps and bounds as the season went on. How they gelled as a unit with a number of players finding the form of their lives is quite amazing. This has been a breakthrough season for Dembele, Kvara, Pacho and their Portuguese midfield duo.
The form of Dembele at the moment scares me. He used to be an injury prone two footed dribbling king without an end product. After being thrust into the Mbappe role, he’s somehow found a killer instinct which combined with him ability to go past players, makes him a huge threat to us.
The euphoria of beating Real Madrid was fantastic but we have to be careful with this PSG team at the moment
Just a word of caution my fellow Arsenal fans. When we beat them in the group stage, as well as we did to beat them. They we’re a completely different animal to the one we will face over the coming two legs.
They’ve since gone on to win their league, (If only🙄🤦♂️), and they are now in better form than they were then. And I think it’s right to acknowledge that.
But that said, if we can reach the level’s that we did in the Madrid encounters, then who knows.
📢Come on you GUNNERS.😉👍🤞🏆
How so Derek?
Aren’t we different animal also compared to when we faced them in the group stage?
Credit should be given when it’s earned.
The substandard manager’s record in UCL this season has been excellent. Finished 3rd in the league, destroyed PSV, knocked out the defending champion dominantly in both legs and in my view we are favorites to win the whole thing.
My only fear is our poor man’s Pep of a manager tendency to sabotage himself to prove his cleverness to himself may end up costing us a long overdue celebration.
But even if we end up in the semis and finish 2nd in the league I think it has somehow turned into a very successful season.
HH,
Unless I’ve got your tone wrong, I wasn’t having a go at Arsenal.
Yes we’ve done well overall so far. And I hear your comments on the results so far.
I was just giving a note of caution, that’s all. I’ve read and heard quite a few people just assuming that we’ll beat them quite easily. As far as I’m concerned that’s daft talk.
It maybe some being positive, but PSG need to be respected. If the players adopt the same thinking of some of our fellow fans, we could be in for a rude awakening.
The thing I can’t agree with you on is, if we finish up in the Semis and finish second in the League, (and the Semis of the League Cup, don’t forget), then that turns it into a successful season. I disagree with you there, success is winning trophy’s, not finishing second or getting to Semis.
It shows a consistent level yes, but success I think not.
Not winning anything and being so far away from Liverpool can’t be seen as success
Dan,
I have to agree. I guess some peoples idea of success is different.
@Derek @Dan
Semi final of league cup, ucl and 2nd on league is a successful season for any club.
This season we cannot argue that the substandard manager has done really well. If we do not accept that then we are not different from you know who.
It is honesty that has always differentiate the likes of you and me to the likes of you know who.
Overall he still has to win trophies to justify the backing, patience and salary he is receiving. We won’t get a good shot like we have this season to win the UCL.
HH,
I suppose it comes down to people’s interpretation of success. And it also depends on said teams aims.
For instance, any team that come up from the Championship, success for them is to stay in the Premier League.
Some teams look upon a good cup run and good position in the league as success.
But lets say that the top six, for them success is something tangible, ie: a trophy. Being the clubs they are, they’re expected to not only challenge for said trophy, but actually win it.
The top six I’m talking about are Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, (Tottenham maybe😂).
And then I think it’s fare to say that the two clubs that are beginning to bang on the door of the top six, is Newcastle and Aston Villa.
I know that Nottingham Forest are having a good season, but we won’t know about them until they repeat their current performance.
Concerning our team, as I said in an earlier post. While our recent top two finish’s, our League Cup Semi Final, and our current Semi Final Champions League place is showing a consistent level, for me that’s not what success looks like.
If you don’t agree with me, that’s fine. We’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one.👍😉
Would you say the previous two seasons were a success ?
Losing the league when it was already in our hands can never be called success.
My post is directed to Dan.
You could have mentioned him.
You could answer my question to you on the Cappelo article, but as usual, you didn’t.
Thats my point mate with Pep Guardiola the other day
Standards are crucial
A big club don’t call 2nd success
“A big club don’t call 2nd success” True
A big club would not hire the flops from the neighboring club and it is going to continue if the reports of NKunku are true.
A big club does not stick to an academy CF for so many seasons in spite of of not delivering and then selling him with no upgrade.
A big club does not keep so many injured players on the roster season after season.
A big club does not have fans who think 2nd is success and getting knocked out of domestic cups is okay
Wouldn’t call it a success no
Herr Drier,
No I wouldn’t say the previous two seasons were a success.
I’ve already said that it depends on anyone’s viewpoint on what merits success.
For me personally winning trophy’s is success, whether you agree or disagree is neither here nor there to be honest.
You have your view and I have mine, and as I said in my post with HH and I’ll say the same to you, we’ll have to agree to disagree on this topic I’m afraid. But that’s fine. 👍😉
HH, you should be ashamed of your meanness! It is very disgusting to denigrate a manager who has been doing well instead of praising him. We should learn to discard uncalled for prejudice. Why should you use such invective against our manager?
😂 cringe ..
Only one that be ashamed David is you for that post .
It’s a fcking fan website not somewhere where our manager will be drinking his red wine and scrolling through.
Online scrolling is not for you if you get butt hurt over someone you don’t know and will never meet .
😂
Yes Its Dan Kit fault we could be 15 points behind Liverpool tomoz
Not the manager ?
And he shouldn’t get criticism in anyway
Should just continue to be third highest paid manager in the world and it okay not to challenge for the title
They are in far better form now, but realistically, Kvaratskhelia is the only new thing for us to worry about.
PSG winning Ligue 1 means absolutely nothing! That league is so one sided, it makes the Bundesliga look competitive!
The main issue for me is no Partey, no Jorginho, and possibly no Merino. If Merino is also out, we are completely screwed!
Keep an eye on Dembele as well
He’s on fire at moment
I’m sure PSG won’t look at our league position and think we have been competitive either ?
I don’t even think of drawing; but arsenal calmness and style of play is likely to yield four goals.
Anything can happen
Hopefully history repeats itself again and we will be going to penalties if we draw the 2 legs.
We win at the Emirates and draw in Paris and we are in the final.
Without Partey my confidence reduces but I still believe we can get a win at the Emirates without him.
2 – 1 to Arsenal. Trossard and Saka with the goals.
Hopefully Enrique won’t use ultra-defensive tactics after watching what Real Madrid got when playing openly against us
If PSG just sit back at the Emirates, I think we’ll have a huge problem since PSG have Dembele, Kvaratskhelia, Doue and other tricky pacey attackers to hurt us in counter-attacks
I hope PSG would be too proud for that kind of negative football
Did you hear PSG tasted their first loss of the season in Ligue 1 against Nice yesterday 1-3 at home? It signals the beginning of the end for PSG. Tremors are felt before the main quake I think. What Nice started nicely Arsenal will finish it off. We say ‘in the hole (of a fence) which the dog itself created the hyena enters’.
Ambachew,
Yes they did suffer their first League defeat, but to suggest it’s the beginning of the end is way off the mark.
What your post fails to say is that as well as Nice did to win, PSG had 30 attempts on their goal and it was one of those days for there attack.
I just hope they don’t find their scoring boots against us. Don’t be to early to give them an obituary just yet. Just Saying. 😉👍
PSG are there for the taking unless the manager find a way to mess it up (something which is in his DNA).
Vitinha has to be stopped. The guy is a very good passer of the ball.
Record and history sometimes have a way of playing roles in some of these games. Real Madrid has never beaten Arsenal in CL and the status quo remains. I don’t see anything different from PSG. In the game of football, a particular team will always be nightmare to another team until the jinx is broken.
I think Arsenal will over come PSG if the coach would not be carried away by applying some crazy formations and of course, players play them without respect
The Arsenal I watched against Crystal Palace started making me nervous. If they play the way they did against Palace, trust me, it will be disastrous. Finger crossed as far as I’m concerned, because the PSG I’ve been watching for sometime now has what it takes to put any team to sword.
The team has disappointed and dashed my hopes on several occasions this season, and for that, I will back them but will not raise my hope too high so that I wouldn’t be disappointed and frustrated.
Fast look back at Everton clash,so here we again just like before
The Players for AFC will come into the tunnel ready to go, no smiling, handshaking or any other pleasantries.
Mind, body and spirit ready for the battle.
This squad can do it if they get their minds right, and that includes the coach.
Arteta and everyone in an AFC uniform has grown this year in the CL.
Let’s go!
My confidence in us getting past P.S.G is at around 55%, hoping that we play out of our skin again, while they also have an off day. When we played them in October, they were in a transitional phase having to make adjustments after losing several experienced stars. Even then they managed to hit our woodwork twice. Any one of those opportunities going in could have tipped the moment. I haven’t seen them play since but by all accounts they have moved forward and are a serious threat. It will definitely be a test of Arteta’s management and our players’ skill and character. To state the obvious, we need to replicate the two Madrid games.
Thank you Dan for presenting us this timely and upbeating reminder that Arsenal in its 5 past encounters are still unbeaten v PSG under 3 different managers Graham, Wenger and Arteta. Contrary to this there are some who try their best in their comments to sow the seed of fear which I think is not helpful at this moment when winning the trophy could define or redeem Arsenal’s season and heal the wounds of fsns of course!
As we’re playing PSG in the Semi Final of the Champions League.
Can I just give a shout out to a certain Kevin Campbell, who remembers his brilliant header in the second leg at Highbury to give us a 1-0 win on the night, and 2-1 on aggregate win in the Cup Winners Cup.
A power house of a forward, who’s nickname was the Rottweiler. What a partnership he and Wright were. John Wark of Ipswich said they were the best strike partnership after his Ipswich side were dismantled by them some years ago.
RIP, Mr. Kevin Campbell. Gone but never forgotten.😢👍😉
As much as we confirm PSG to be a different team from the one Arsenal defeated in the group stages,i still see vulnerabilities,considering that Aston Villa nearly reversed the advantage they had in the first leg.
Beyond team selection and formation employed,managers don’t play matches.Players do,and Arsenal players must simply be ready to deliver on the day,as they have nothing to lose,but all to gain by being victorius.
LIVE! History makers Arsenal Women leading at half time 2-0 v Lyon. Aggregate 3-2. Onto the final v Barcelona. COYG!
Lyon 1-4 Arsenal. Congrats Arsenal Women!!!!! Arsenal Women v Barcelona. UEFA CL Final in Lisbon. So will it be in the men!
That would be a scary coincidence
Foord, Little and Caldentey said afterwards anything can happen at the final which is a one off.
Owing to the thumping of Mr CL Real Madrid by Arsenal, the top dog honour is of course with Arsenal. PSG are underdogs. Hence Arsenal has won the fear factor as well.
PSG coach Enrique is clever and will not dare to play open game v Arsenal despite his customary style and abundant firepower in his attack. If he opts to do so it perfectly suits Arsenal and comes with its peril.
Defence is comparatively not the strong side of PSG neither is attack mindedness v Arsenal esp at home who scored lots of goals through the process. Arsenal are too tough for PSG in the flanks and aerial balls. For PSG I think Arsenal are a difficult proposition to deal with. Whatever was the stage of the CL the most recent defeat of PSG 2-0 surely gives Arsenal a psychological edge. Today we hear what the two Spaniards say in their pre match conferences. Advantage ARSENAL!
Trossard.
Martinelli. Odegaard. Saka.
Merino. Rice.
Skelly. Kiwior. Saliba. Timber.
Raya.